The present disclosure relates to, among other things, a lightning diverter element (lightning diverter strip) comprising a support and metallic elements disposed on the support. Furthermore, the disclosure relates to a high-frequency device, wherein at least one such lightning diverter element is disposed on a surface of a component of the high-frequency device. Finally, the disclosure relates to a vehicle comprising such a lightning diverter element and/or such a high-frequency device.
Electrical shocks, for example electrostatic discharges or lightning strikes, can cause personal injury and property damage. In order to prevent this, electrotechnical protection measures are necessary. For example, measures for protection of vehicles, for example aircraft, their passengers, and devices disposed in them, for example high-frequency devices such as radar devices, are often required. For this reason, there are lightning diverter elements that divert the lightning current in that they pass it on to a metallic structure, and thereby preserve a component to be protected from the harmful effects of a lightning strike.
US 2008/0270052 A1 and FR 2 913 504 A1 each disclose an arrangement in which one or more electrically conductive lightning diverter elements, which are connected with an electrically conductive structure, are affixed on the outside of an electrically insulating structure. At least one sensor is made available close to the inside of the electrically insulating structure, which sensor delivers a signal if a lightning current flows through a lightning diverter element.
DE 10 2008 035 917 A1 and WO 2010/012765 A1 each disclose an arrangement for lightning protection of radomes and transmission/reception apparatuses, having a protective sheath that is permeable to electromagnetic radiation. Diverter elements, which are connected with a metallic structure on one side, in each instance, for diverting lightning currents, are disposed on the protective sheath. The diverter elements can be either solid metallic diverter elements or segmented diverter elements.
Additional protection against the effects of electrostatic discharges is appropriate in the interests of functional reliability and prevention of damage.